Re: The earth is flat!

[dis6218@ultb.isc.rit.edu (D.I. Seah )]

In article <113.UUL1.3#25315@liberty.com> chance@liberty.com (Chance) writes:
>[Reference to the Flat Earth Society removed]
>
>I find it quite amazing that AppleII users can hang on to a computer
>that is not only dying, but has been dead for some time. And not only do
>they continue hanging on by what's left of their fingernails, they even
>defend Apple Computer. Absolutely, completely, amazing!!!
>
>[Apple promised support, but IIGS is no longer manufactured]
>[new technologies not available for IIgs]
> 
>This type of blind mentality is not only amazing, it makes one wonder
>how man ever emerged from the dark ages. At least some of us have moved
>on and entered the age of enlightenment!

It's interesting that you mention "blind mentality", because you are
exhibiting that very attribute.  Having the courage to make those tentative
crawlings toward the future is, as you imply, a valuable asset. However, the
ability to work with what we have now is just as desirable.  That's what
the foundations of Applied Science and Engineering are built on.  Both
qualities together create a dynamic force that encourages the evolution
of ideas.  To discount either element is naive.

For many people, the Apple IIGS does exactly what they need.  It's true that
many of the coolest buzz technologies are not implemented on the IIGS first,
but that hardly means that the machine is "dead".  If it was dead, no one
would be using it.  Clearly, that is not the case if you read this group and
its companion comp.sys.apple2.programmer.  The level of activity may seem
soporific compared to the fast-moving MSDOS and Macintosh markets, but 
that doesn't mean it isn't there.

If you need the fancy software and speed, then moving on to another platform
is a reasonable move.  I use a lot of high res graphics products on machines
other than my Apple IIGS because that's what my career is moving towards.
When I bought my PC, I didn't leave the Dark Ages and burst into a
Renaissance of New Ideas.   My previous experience with Apple IIs
was the foundation upon which I built.  Knowledge of assembly language,
operating systems, and common applications on the II translated quite
handily to other computers in college.  My explorations with color graphics
on the IIgs was immensely illuminating, and serve me well now as I pursue
fields other than engineering.  Perhaps I am not as lucky as you to have
found Enlightenment in FAXing a document from your word processor.
 
-- 
         Dave Seah (dis6218@ultb.isc.rit.edu, AFCDaveS@aol.com)
- Rochester Institute of Technology - School of Imaging Arts and Science -